IOA chief P.T. Usha’s take on Vinesh’s disqualification draws all-round flak

A day before the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) verdict on wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s appeal, a statement from Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president P.T. Usha has dealt a body blow to the athlete's morale, and sparked outrage on social media — with politicians and spokespersons from the INDIA bloc, journalists, and the average Indian sports fan hitting out at the way the legendary athlete has tried to throw Phogat under the proverbial bus.

In trying to deflect accusations of negligence raised in Parliament against Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, the high-profile chief medical officer with the Indian contingent and other support staff of the IOA, Usha issued a statement which is being seen as unwarranted. A number of INDIA bloc partners had, in particular, raised the issue in Parliament, prompting Usha to detach the umbrella governing body of sport in India from Phogat’s fight.  

‘’...the responsibility of weight management of athletes in sport like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo is that of each athlete and his or her coach and NOT that of the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team,’’ Usha said in a statement. ‘’The hate directed at the IOA medical team, especially Dr. Pardiwala, is unacceptable and worthy of condemnation.’’

Reacting to the statement in an X post, the Congress' national social media coordinator Vinay Kumar said: ‘’IOA is a big sham. PT Usha is as incompetent to head the IOA as Dr Pardiwala is to monitor health, diet, nutrition and wealth management of athletes. No accountability, no shame, that’s what you expect from BJP slaves and that has been the exact conduct of the IOA.’’

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said: ‘’On Vinesh Phogat’s lonely fight for justice, Indian Olympic Association’s shameful press release. Is GoI endorsing the statement coming from PT Usha? If not, will they ask her to step down?’’

Political commentator Sujit Nair said in his X post: ‘’PT Usha throws Vinesh Phogat under the bus to defend IOA national team: Player, coach responsible for weight management. They why carry so many support staff PT Usha?’

Veteran journalist Rajdeep Sardesai blasted the IOA on distancing itself from Phogat's disqualification issue. On social media, Sardesai wrote: ‘’Ridiculous that IOA should distance itself from the Vinesh Phogat weight issue while her hearing in CAS has still not been decided upon. This is NOT DONE! When athletes win medals, IOA clambers to take credit. Why distance yourself at this crucial moment?”.

This is not the first time that Usha, a BJP appointee, has lost the plot in voicing public opinion about the wrestlers. During the wrestlers’ agitation at Jantar Mantar last year, where Vinesh was one of the central figures along with Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, said the wrestlers were spoiling the image of the country with their public agitation.